since I came among the Fenians in which I have perilled my
life for your sake. Therefore you should not do me this foul
treachery. And soon a dire defeat will come upon the Fenians, and few
children will be left to them to carry on the race. It is not for you
that I grieve, O Fionn, but for Ossian and for Oscar, and for the
rest of my faithful comrades. And you shall lack me sorely yet, O
Fionn.'

'I am near of kin to you, O Fionn,' said Oscar, 'but you shall not do
Diarmid this wrong. Further, I swear that were any other prince in the
world to have done this to Diarmid, we would have seen whose hand was
strongest and who should bring him a drink.'

'I know no well upon this mountain,' answered Fionn.

'That is not true,' replied Diarmid, 'for nine paces from this is the
best well of pure water in the world.'

So Fionn went to the well and filled his palms with water; but he had
only come half way to where Diarmid lay when he let the water run down
between his fingers. 'The water would not stay in my hands,' he said,
as he reached the rest.

'You spilt it of your will,' answered Diarmid.

For the second time Fionn set out to fetch the water, but returning he
thought of Grania, and let it run upon the ground. Diarmid saw and
sighed piteously. 'I swear by my sword,' cried Oscar, 'that if this
time you bring not that water either you or I, O Fionn, shall leave
our body here.'

And Fionn trembled when he heard those words, and brought back the
water, but as he came to his side the life went out of Diarmid. And
the company of the Fenians raised three exceeding great cries; while
Oscar looked fiercely at Fionn, and told him it had been better for
the Fenians had Fionn himself died, and not Diarmid. Then Fionn left
the top of the mountain, leading Diarmid's hound, and his Fenians came
after. But Ossian and Oscar and two others returned and laid their
four mantles over Diarmid, and when they had done that they went their
ways after Fionn.

Now Grania was standing on the ramparts of her house when she saw
Fionn and the Fenians approaching. She said to herself that if Diarmid
were alive it was not Fionn who would lead his hound, and at this
thought she swooned and fell heavily over the battlements. Ossian's
heart was full of pity, and he bade Fionn and the Fenians to go, and
ran himself to help her, but she lifted her head and begged that Fionn
would leave her the hound of Diarmid. Fionn said No, he would not; but
Oss